Debris impact damage and fragmentation of antenna structure in geostationary orbit

Abstract

Low velocity impact tests simulating debris collision in geostationary orbit were conducted to investigate structural damage and fragment dispersion. Simple holes were perforated on CFRP shells, while tube elements were either perforated or destroyed depending on the projectile size. Impact produced a dust like cloud consisting of very small particles including more than 1000 particles of larger than 1 mm in size. The velocities of the particles were in the same order as the velocity of the projectile.